Jimmy Boyd in 
The schedule for the 2018 NFL regular-season was released on Thursday, April 19th. That same night oddsmakers were quick to post the opening lines for Week 1 of the season.
While most of the big free agent signings and trades have already taken place, there’s still a bunch of players who can make significant impacts available on the market. Not to mention the 2018 NFL Draft has yet to take place. There’s also going to be big name players across the league that suffer serious injuries before the season ever starts.
Simply put, there’s a lot that can change between right now and the first week of the season, so keep that in mind when looking at these lines. You also have to remember that public perception has a lot to do with the numbers that we are seeing. Either way, it’s fun to look at these odds and start to get the juices flowing for the start of a new campaign.
Week 1 NFL Vegas Game Lines: Point Spreads & Betting Totals
The 2018 season will officially get underway on Thursday, September 6th with the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles taking on the Atlanta Falcons. A rematch from last year’s Division Round of the Playoffs, which the Eagles prevailed 15-10. As of right now the Eagles are a 3.5-point home favorite.
Looking to Sunday’s card, there’s plenty of intriguing matchups on the card. There are three games that really stand out above the rest to me. The first is a rematch between the Texans and Patriots at Foxboro. These two teams met in Week 3 at New England last year, which many felt was the coming out party for Texans rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson, who threw for 301 yards and 2 scores in a 36-33 upset win. It will be Watson’s first action in a real game since tearing his ACL back in Week 8 of last season. I wasn’t surprised to see New England favored, but it was a bit shocking to see the Pats laying a touchdown.
The next game that really has me excited is the 49ers at the Vikings. Minnesota is considered a legit Super Bowl contender and will be debuting new starting quarterback Kirk Cousins against everyone’s favorite breakout team in the 49ers. San Francisco closed out the season with 5 straight wins after starting the season 1-10. It just so happened their 5-0 finish came at the same time that Jimmy Garroppolo was inserted into the lineup. You can see just how much respect the 49ers are getting by the fact that they are just a 4-point dog.
The final game that gets my attention is the Cowboys at the Panthers. Dallas is looking to rebound after a disappointing 2017 season, while the Panthers are just a couple seasons removed from their Super Bowl run. The oddsmakers see a very evenly matched game, as Carolina is a slim 2.5-point home favorite.
Some other interesting lines out there include the Jaguars currently being listed as a 4-point road favorite over the Giants. Only two other teams are giving points on the road in Week 1.
The biggest favorite on the board is the Packers, who are a giving 9 to division rival Chicago on Sunday Night Football.
Week 1 concludes as it has for several years now with a double-header on Monday Night Football. The first matchup doesn’t exactly get the juices flowing, as the Jets will visit the Lions. However, the second game will be one to tune into, as the LA Rams visit the Coliseum to take on the Oakland Raiders. The Rams have been the talk of the NFL with all their big additions this offseason and should get quite the test in what will be an electric atmosphere in Oakland for the return debut of head coach Jon Gruden.
As of right the totals for Week 1 have not been posted, but be sure to check back, as I’ll add them once they become available and take a look at how the lines have changed.
For even more expert advice, be sure to check out our free NFL picks page.
Week 1 NFL Odds
Thursday, September 6, 2018
| Time (TV) | Matchup | Line |
|---|---|---|
| 8:30pm (NBC) | Atlanta Falcons Philadelphia Eagles | +3.5 -3.5 |
Sunday, September 9, 2018
| Time (TV) | Matchup | Line |
|---|---|---|
| 1:00pm (FOX) | Pittsburgh Steelers Cleveland Browns | -7 +7 |
| 1:00pm (CBS) | Cincinnati Bengals Indianapolis Colts | +1 -1 |
| 1:00pm (CBS) | Tennessee Titans Miami Dolphins | -2.5 +2.5 |
| 1:00pm (FOX) | San Francisco 49ers Minnesota Vikings | +4 -4 |
| 1:00pm (FOX) | Houston Texans New England Patriots | +7 -7 |
| 1:00pm (FOX) | Tampa Bay Buccaneers New Orleans Saints | +7.5 -7.5 |
| 1:00pm (CBS) | Jacksonville Jaguars New York Giants | -4 +4 |
| 1:00pm (CBS) | Buffalo Bills Baltimore Ravens | +3.5 -3.5 |
| 4:05pm (CBS) | Kansas City Chiefs Los Angeles Chargers | +3 -3 |
| 4:25pm (FOX) | Seattle Seahawks Denver Broncos | +2.5 -2.5 |
| 4:25pm (FOX) | Washington Redskins Arizona Cardinals | +1 -1 |
| 4:25pm (FOX) | Dallas Cowboys Carolina Panthers | +2.5 -2.5 |
| 8:20pm (NBC) | Chicago Bears Green Bay Packers | +9 -9 |
Monday, September 10, 2018
| Time (TV) | Matchup | Line |
|---|---|---|
| 7:10pm (ESPN) | New York Jets Detroit Lions | +6 -6 |
| 10:20pm (ESPN) | Los Angeles Rams Oakland Raiders | -1.5 +1.5 |